Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-11-03

bright.
"This is awful" she said to herself, as
she heard steps approaching the door on
the inside. a civil looking woman
opened it.
"Are-are the gentlemen at homer"
the visitor asked. II mean-is Mr..
Townsend at home? 1 am his sister, and
he expects me think"
ooh, walk in ma'am, if you please. Mr..
Townsend told me you were not coming
till tomorrow. He is out just now, but
your room is quite ready. Have you no
luggage, ma'am?"
The visitor muttered something about
the station as she went into the hall.
"Please show me to the sitting -room,"
she said; can wait for my brother there.
No. thank you; no tea. Is this the
room?"
eyes, ma'am. The gentlemen has this
between them. Mr.. Hamilton is coming
back unexpected this evening. He was
telegraphed for, as there is some talk of
the regiment leaving at once"
'sWhat is this noise?" the visitor asked.
"Rain, ma'am. It's a thunder shower,
think. 1t always makes that noise on the
roof of the veranda. It's we'll you was
under cover ma'am."
Rosalind gave sigh of relief as the
door at last closed behind the landlady.
''Now, if by stroke of good fortune
can commit my felony and get away be-
fore my brother comes in-what an ex
traordinary thing that he should be ex
pecting his sister. l suppose (glancing
at a cabinet photograph on the chimney
piece) that is the man himself. Why, he
must be forty at least! Now, wonder
where Mr.. Geof keeps his treasurers? In
drawer, of course; but which drawer?
I do not half like rumagipg among THE
poor mans possessions, But he brought
it on bimself.'
She presently came upon packet neat
ly tied up with red ribbon and sealed.
| She pinched it. 1t evidently contained a
| photograph, for she felt a cardboard, and
there was something soft that might be a
glove; and surely these were withered
| flowers that cracked as she pressed them!
And the more lumpy enclosure must be
| letters. Should she unite the ribbon and
| break the sealf But time was passing
and there was really no necessity. Then
she turned the packet over and found an
| inscription. In a mans writing were the
words: els likeness and letters. Very
| precious"
"Poor Geoff! Poor, dear fellow! How
devoted1y he loves he1! I am sorry for
nim. Very precious he calls them, y
Rosalind murmured. "But precious or
| not, L must rob him of them. We cannot
lose Tom. wonder what Lefty will say
when she sees them? Now, I wish were
safely out of this. I must write the tint
est scrap of note and leave it for poor,
dear Croft" She closed the drawer, put
the packet in her pocket and wrote hastl-
ly on half sheet of paper: els sister
has taken what you have NO right to keep
against her WILL
She hae just addressed the envelope
when she heard steps on the stairs; in an
other moment the door was opened and a
handsome young man came in.
"How awkward." thought Rosalind.
''But must keep up the character of
Townsend's sister. Who in the world is
her"
| The new conner stood still aid stared at
seen for many day. She made him a
little bow. 81 am Townsend's sister,"
she said, ''and expect him every moment;
| he noes not expect me until to morrow.
Did not the landlady tell you I was
here?"
"She-she-she-did! the young man
gasped.
''What donkey he isr' thought merci-
less Rosalind, quite at her ease,s although
she had just been robbing a drawer. 81
wonder if you would mind going to look
for my brother?" she raid aloud in the
sweetest manner. cit would be so very
kind. 1t is awkwerd to be here all alone
with-people coming in" She gave him
e little smile to indicate that he was one
of the people. 81 have to go to the sta
ton for my luggage" (what dreadful
stories [ am telling! she added to her
self, then aloud, land perhaps by the
time come back he will be here"
''Oh, you will come back, will you? But
it's raining cats and dogs! You'll be
drenched."
/ 'sOh, dear, no! I have waterproof"
and Rosaland took up her cloak, "Thank
you," as the young man rushed forward
and put it round her shoulders. "And
I, you will go and fnd-Geoff for me-
she said, turning to him with the sweet
est smile. There was the slightest possi-
BILE hesitation before she said the name.
He noticed nothing but the beauty of her
eyes. "Thank you very much!'
| She was gone before he recovered him
| sell, anu WDen UoOH hdIQllCOQ came 1QlO
the sitting room at No. Is few minutes
later he found his friend Townsend
hanging out of window.
''Hallo, Gee" he said, what's up? You
look dazed. Seen a ghost?"
mo, but the prettiesU girl in the world.
She was here. She said she was my sis
ter. She asked me to go and look for
myself, while she went to the station for
her luggage"
sThen she'll be backf'
"Not she; she turned the other way"
"Then who in the world is she, and
what brought her here?"
Il suspect yea know all about that, you
rascal. She's one of your army of mar
| tyrs, take it,"
Rubbish. I am the martyr. What's
this?" He had picked up Rosalind's
note from the writing table. ''G. Hamil-
| ton, ESQ., Now for the heart of the mys-
| terry" He opened the note and read it.
Then he threw himself into chair with
very red face. Then he laughed. Then
am afraid he swore.
Meanwhile Rosalind, with heart thump-